Gender and Youth Inclusion Manager
USAID FtF Kenya Private Sector Activity (KPSA)
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
About Palladium:
Palladium is a global company working to design, develop and deliver positive impact on the lives and livelihoods of people around the globe; broaden access to health, water, power, and infrastructure; build enduring, sustainable, and transformative institutions and market systems to address global challenges; and conserve the natural world. We operate in over 90 countries and have a workforce of 4,000 talented, motivated, and diverse staff of all religions, races, languages, and gender identities.
Project Overview and Role:
The Kenya Feed the Future Private Sector Activity (KPSA) is a $48 million, USAID-funded, Palladium implemented project that will accelerate inclusive economic growth in Kenya through partnerships with large agricultural firms, health firms and other sectors. Using a systems approach, KPSA will provide a suite of customized, high-impact services that increase the productivity of firms such as SMEs, smallholders, Business Advisory Service Providers (BASPs) and Financial Institutions (FIs), increase market linkages, and mobilize finance to support targeted sectors. From 2024 – 2029, KPSA will use its Inclusive Growth Platform to mobilize $400 million in finance, create new jobs, increase exports and sales, and increase access to healthcare services.
The Gender and Youth Inclusion Manager will work to integrate gender and youth considerations across all KPSA teams and activities and to identify and address barriers to inclusion in financial investment opportunities and programming in Kenya.
Roles and Responsibilities
Assume overall charge of the Gender and Youth component and provide overall strategic direction and technical oversight across all project results relating to gender and youth
Lead efforts to identify and overcome gender and social inclusion barriers in investment and inclusive growth opportunities in the agricultural and healthcare sector and be responsible for leading gender and social inclusion assessments
Identify opportunities to utilize the Company’s Inclusive Growth Framework in the implementation of KPSA
Lead the implementation of Gender and Youth Advisory Board for the project
Review existing and conduct new gender analysis to identify access constraints to economic participation
Support development and refinement of inclusive selection criteria for partners
Facilitate knowledge-building on gender integration in development of inclusive business models with project partners
Develop and ensure timely implementation of Annual Workplans
Provide cross-cutting leadership in identifying gender and youth inequities within programs and developing strategies for strengthening the integration of a gender and youth lens across all activities
Build staff capacity on the application of a gender and youth lens across project initiatives
Participate in and contribute to external technical working groups on issues related to gender and youth equity, empowerment and inclusive development
Provide ongoing technical support for the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs with gender- and youth-focused outcomes
Work closely with Strategic Learning and Communications team to ensure project communications and results reflect inclusive development priorities, particularly with a focus on gender and diversity
Travel to various regions of Kenya as needed
Any and all other project-related tasks as required by the Chief of Party, project leadership and Palladium HQ
Position Requirements:
Master’s degree in international development, Gender Studies, or other relevant subject area.
Proven expertise in gender and social inclusion, gender and youth lens investing, gender-/ or youth focused analysis, SME finance, and SME development
At least seven (7) years of experience in SME finance, gender finance, and banking
Proven track record engaging with agribusinesses to design and roll out products and services targeting women small holder farmers
Knowledge of the intersection between SME growth, business development services, and gender and youth
Experience designing and implementing gender-related training and workshops related to finance and investment
Substantial experience in design, monitoring and evaluation projects and the collection of gender disaggregated data.
Demonstrated ability to think strategically, creatively and to find innovative ways to respond to emerging organizational and project needs
Knowledge of USAID policies, procedures, and reporting requirements preferred
Experience working for large donor organizations such as USAID preferred
Local Kenyan candidates are preferred
Written and oral proficiency in English required.
Equity, Diversity & Inclusion - Palladium is committed to embedding equity, diversity, and inclusion into everything we do. We welcome applications from all sections of society and actively encourage diversity to drive innovation, creativity, success and good practice. We positively welcome and seek to ensure we achieve diversity in our workforce; and that all job applicants and employees receive equal and fair treatment regardless of their background or personal characteristics. These include: (but are not limited to) socio-economic background, age, race, gender identity and expression, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, nationality, veteran, marital or Indigenous status.
Should you require any adjustments or accommodation to be made due to a disability or you are a neurodivergent individual or for any other circumstance, please email our team at accessibility@thepalladiumgroup.com and we will be in touch to discuss.
Safeguarding - We define Safeguarding as “the preventative action taken by Palladium to protect our people, clients and the communities we work with from harm”. We are committed to ensuring that all children and adults who come into contact with Palladium are treated with respect and are free from abuse. All successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced selection process including safeguarding-focused interviews and a rigorous due diligence process.